Vision
Train the next generation of progressive Israeli leaders so to be agents of change in Israeli society. The Mechina aims to do so by combining the three main pillars of the world, as described in the Mishna: Torah, work and acts of loving kindness.
Activity
The IMPJ Mechina is a post-high school, pre-military program dedicated to study and preparations toward service in the IDF. The IMPJ Mechina offers young Israelis the opportunity to intensively study their Jewish heritage and Israeli identity. The participants put Jewish values into practice by working in community service projects. Leadership training, social contribution and the intense experience of living in a close community with program members endows these young people with the skills and commitment to become future progressive Jewish leaders in Israel.
The interpersonal and leadership skills developed during the year enhance the participants’ ability to perform their military service in a manner that is purposeful and patriotic. The program’s location in Jaffa plays a significant part in shaping the character and quality of the Mechina experience. The Mechina is based in a diverse neighborhood, whose residents include Jews from an extremely wide range of religious and ethnic backgrounds, as well as Muslim and Christian Arabs and migrant laborers from around the world. Placing the Mechina in Jaffa serves one of the fundamental pillars of the IMPJ: working in a poor urban area and aiding people in need through a locally based IMPJ community.